Automatic valve



May 20, 1952 R. D. SWEENY ETAL AUTOMATIC VALVE Filed May 10, 1945 gwuamm a Romr k-D Swwnq l6 WWW WWW Patented May 29, 1952 UNITED STATES ATEN'E FFICE AUTOMATIC VALVE Robert D. Sweeny and Wencel L. Coutchure, To-

ledo, Ohio, assignors to Wm. H. Cook, trustee,

Toledo, Ohio 3 Claims. 1

.This invention relates to self-closing and selfopening valves.

This invention has utility in those instances wherein it is the purpose fully to charge a receptacle, with avoidance of overflow or waste, specifically in filling the fuel tanks of motor vehicles. An adaptation involves installation of the unit between the control valve for the liquid supply and thepouring spout or nozzle proper. In accordance with an embodiment hereof, a special throat V enturi intermediate nozzle is provided, with a Venturi disturbance actuated plunger valve to plug the throat.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of a gasolene pouring nozzle, having the invention hereof incorporated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective showing of the Venturi control unit comprising the plunger valve and its cylindrical housing; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal section of the special Venturi device, with the plunger valve here in closed position, instead of open as shown in Fig. 1. A gasoline supply hose is herein shown provided with a fitting 2 with a finger grasp lever portion 3 to be effective in pushing a valve stem 4 into a valve housing portion 5 of the fitting 2, thereby to release for fiow the gasolene under the head provided by pump means to the hose The liquid flow thru the fitting 2 and past the open main valve in the housing portion 5, as manually controlled, is by way of a pouring spout 6 having an outlet 1. Friction coupling nuts 1', 1", assemble the spout 6 with the fitting having the housing 5.

A ledge 8 provides a set back for an intake end 9 of a duct II] which continues as a duct I back from the spout 6 lengthwise thru a wall of a diffuser section or spread nozzle l2 of a Venturi type. The inward end of the section l2 has a ring groove l3 complemental to a ring groove M in a throat section l5. The sections I2, I5, have outward planar face portions l6. Inwardly from the groove [3, as a branch from the duct l I, there is port communication to the region of the throat l5. This communication I1 is in the form of an inwardly open endless slot formed by clearance between the sections l2, l5, inward from the groove |3. The communication ll provides a way for inflow to the Venturi as induced by fiow through the throat to the diffuser s ction [2. The opposite or supply side of the throat in the section |5 has a convex region l8 merging into a zone region 9 to form a sort of ogee curve section I5.

The Venturi portion of the control comprising the-sections l2 and I5 may be spaced by either a ring 2|], (Fig. 3) or a different length ring 2| (Fig. 1). Special length rings 26 or 2| (see Fig. 1) are selected to vary the clearance between the convex region |8-and valve face 3| in nicely responding to the character of fluid being handled. As a continuous passage from the port 9, by way of the ducts l6, l I, there is not only communication with the ring duct l3, l4, but end 22 of the duct is slidable to the distance adjusted by the selected ring into register with a passage 23 in a rib 24 of a cylinder 25. The passage 23 has a port 26 just inward from a cylinder closing plug 21.

In the cylinder 25 is a piston 28 having a piston rod or valve stem 29 extending thru a cylinder head 36 to a spherical seat portion plunger valve 3|. A compression helical spring 32 about the rod 29 between the head 30 and the Piston 28 serves normally to hold the valve 3|, against a seat 33 at the cylinder head 36. A plurality of ports 34 thru the head 36 allow appropriate flow cooperation for sealing stability for the valve 3| asopen, due to clearing of a chamber portion 35 in the outer side of the head 3|] from any interferring liquid or gas accumulation. Conversely, movement of the piston 28 toward the head 30, may not be clogged, due to the ports 34 allowing escape flow from the cylinder 25.

The cylinder 25 is centered in the passage leading to the Venturi type device of the sections |2, |5, by the rib 24 and additional ribs 36. The normal flow-way of the liquid supply from the duct and past the open valve in the housing 5 accordingly is about or outside the cylinder 25 into the restricting zone l9 then over the convex entrance portion 8 to the suction throat endless slot region I! into the diffuser nozzle l2 tapering outward 8.

The curve continuity thruout the throat entrance is a factor in symmetrical flow thru the throat into the nozzle passage portion l2. The velocity of th s fiow over the throat port I! entrains air and creates a suction communicated to the ring passage |3, l4, and the duct While the spring 32 may not be required to be critical in its adjustment, it is sufiiciently effective for normally seating the valve 3| at the seat 33, for fully open position. Accordingly to stabilize this plunger valve 3|, the suction from the throat port I! to the passage |3, |4, duct II, has communication thru the passage 23 and the port 26 to the side of the piston 28 in the cylinder 25, toward the cylinder head 21. There is thus provided, due to the suction action transmitted from the Venturi, an automatic reinforcement for the spring 32. Thus free flow in a internal diameter of the throat for the pouring spout 6 has been in ranges of 5 to gallons per minute, at pressures ranging from 15# to 60# per sq. in. for the liquid supply, and with temperatures, even for gasolene from below 60 F. up to 108 F. At normal operation, say around per sq. in. pressure for the liquid supply, with gasolene around 68 B. gravity at F. the suction has been as much as 9" of water below atmospheric pressure.

One of the control means for disturbance response herein, is thru the duct I0 to the region of the pouring spout outlet 1. With the duct intake end or port 9 of the control means spaced slightly back from the outlet 1, there is physical protection from jamming,- as well as isolation from steam outflow. At once when the outlet 1 is submerged, the automatic control herein functions. This means that the operator who may locate the pouring spout 6 in a gasoline tank of a motor vehicle and being unable to know the extent of filling which is taking place within such receptacle, may not experience overflow or waste. When the liquid rises to the outlet 1, the suction action transmitted thru the duct l0, carries liquid. The pneumatic modifying means for the valve 3! is now disturbed. Since a gas flows more freely than a liquid through the narrow slot port I1, the suction of liquid up through the duct H and into said slot port l1, thereby cuts out the suction produced from said port I! by the Venturi. The cutting-off of this suction produces an impulse or surge of a relative increase in pressure in the duct 22 which is communicated to the cylinder 25 to press the piston 28 toward the left in Fig. 3 and unseat the valve 3| from its home seat 33 and move it towards its seat [8. As soon as the valve 3! is moved out into the stream of liquid flowing into the Venturi, the movement of the liquid in the stream aids in drawing and forcing the valve 3| into contact against its seat I 8 at the Venturi throat thereby to cut off the flow of the liquid through the nozzle.

Shutting off of the supply valve in the housing portion 5 releases the pressure back of the valve 31. As so released, the spring 32 resets the valve 3| to open position for a repetition of the cycle of automatic control operation herein.

Thruout the maintenance of liquid phase for the material flowing, there is uniform flow from the automatic unit herein disclosed. This means that a duct with which there is installed the unit hereof, has the flow thru such duct subject to the automatic control even for a wide range of liquids. The response is experienced with heavy free flowing liquids to very light substances. So long as the liquid from water to 100 octane gasolene retains fully the traits of a liquid, the control does not act. Contamination from foaming, slight sudsing, vapors, films, or drops of condensation entering the duct l0, immediately acts to disturb the suction at the port [1. While a liquid drop mayclog a more concentrated port, the endless slot H. which for motor fuels may be in the range of .010" to .015" in width, develops a peripheral symmetry. This means that when suflicient occasion arises automatically calling for the valve to be closed, closing forthw th takes place, for with the slot l1 clogged with liquid, the suction theretofore as a pull to act on the passages from the port 9, thru the ways H), II, 23, 26, to the cylinder 25 between the piston 28 and the cylinder head 21, is now released. Only the spring 32 now directs the valve 3| against the seat 33, and this holding action of the spring 32 is not sufficient to overcome the draw of the stream flow about the cylinder 25 between the ribs 24, 26. This stream flow is directed by the curved faces I9, I 8, and develops a pull on the convex face of the valve 3! to cause the valve 3| to leave the seat 33 and lodge at the face I8 to close the throat l5.

With more volatile liquids, temperature rise in the supply, even from pumping, may cause the release of some vapor at the discharge outlet 1. As such condition arises, this control unit may act as a tell-tale. Such a pressure release is a supersaturated gas, at once developing, if not actually entraining condensation. The in-draw of the duct l0 so carrying lack of true gas, brings about the closing of the valve 3| against the seat I8.

Increasing the length of the ring or sleeve 20, say by insertion of the sleeve 2! to increase the spacing between the valve 3| at the seat 33, in clearance as to the seat I8 as much as .015, renders the control more stable for a selected liquid.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hose nozzle having an outlet a control mechanism for automatically shutting off the flow of liquid through said nozzle when said outlet is submerged in liquid, said mechanism comprising: a Venturi in said nozzle spaced away from said outlet, a valve on the intake side of said Venturi for controlling flow through said nozzle, a cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder to actuate said valve on the intake side of said venturi to cut off the flow of liquid through said nozzle, an annular slot around the throat of said venturi, and a duct commuicating from near said outlet to said piston with a branch duct communicating with and around said slot, whereby liquid flows through said Venturi as long as the outlet end of said duct is unsubmerged to maintain said valve open, but when said outlet end of said duct is submerged the suction from said slot draws liquid through said duct into said slot cutting off its suction thereby creating an increased pressure surge in said duct to said piston to operate said piston to push said valve toward said intake side of said Venturi section to cut off the flow of liquid through said nozzle.

2. The nozzle of claim 1 wherein a selectable length ring provides spacing between said first seat and said valve when said valve is against said second seat thereby establishing a predetermined spacing for the flow of liquid by said valve.

3. A hose nozzle for dispensing liquids comprising a Venturi section in said nozzle, a cut-off valve for controlling the liquid flowing through said nozzle before said Venturi section, a first seat for said valve adjacent the throat of said Venturi section, a stem connected to said valve, 2. cylinder closed at one end and having a second seat for said valve at the other end, a spring in sai cylinder on said stem to normally maintain said valve against said second seat for there closing said other end of said cylinder, an annular slot in the throat of said Venturi, a common duct connecting said outlet end of said nozzle with said slot and from said slot to said other end of said cylinder whereby air may be sucked from said outlet and said cylinder through said duct by the aspiratory efiect to said venturi when liquid flows through said venturi, said suction aiding the operation of said spring in said cylinder to maintain said valve against said second seat as long as air may pass through said duct and said slot, and whereby said valve closes against said first seat when the suction through said duct is stopped by liquid drawn into said slot from the immersion of the outlet of said nozzle into a liquid to produce a relative increase in pressure surge, in said cylinder to unseat said valve from said second seat against the action of said spring and to move said valve into the stream of liquid 15 flowing through said nozzle into said venturi 6 which flowing stream aids in drawing said valve against said second seat thereby shutting off said flow and preventing the rise of the liquid level into which the end of said nozzle is immersed.

ROBERT D. SWEENY. WENCEL L. COUTCHURE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,111,852 Flinchbaugh Mar. 22, 1938 2,244,947 Hargiss June 10, 1941 2,330,704 Grise Sept. 28, 1943 

